𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐲

chapter 10

A/N: Bit of a boring chapter, sorry about that :/

The three of you end up in the office, standing in a line while you listen to the teacher's nagging. He wants to know what happened, and since you were stood between the two boys when he entered the cafeteria it looked like you were intervening.

"Why did you feel the need to get involved?" he asks you, but you don't respond. You meet eyes with your homeroom teacher on the other side of the office, and he sends you a sad smile - he knows you would never get involved in a fight unless it's absolutely necessary or relating to someone important to you - so he's sure there's something more to the story.

"Why is she getting in trouble for stopping a fight, I don't understand. She's the only one who had the guts to step in," Seojun defends you, frustrated by the way you're being scolded for trying to help. His words only irritate the teacher further, his attention shifting to Seojun. He begins scolding him instead and Seojun just remains quiet, taking the insults.

"Good going for someone who took a leave of absence because of his sick mother." You gasp and look up when the teacher says that, anger boiling up inside you.
"With all due respect," you speak up, "I think you're being a little out of line now."

His gaze shifts to you instead, and his anger only increases at your impolite behaviour.
"Isn't your mother ill too? I guess people alike stick together." Your eyes widen at his words, how could a teacher say that?

Seojun is equally as shocked. She's been nothing but nice to the other students and teachers here, he thought to himself, how could he say something like that? Your homeroom teacher eventually has to intervene, walking up to the teacher who's scolding you and trying to get him to stop.

"I think that's enough now," your homeroom teacher tells him, sending you a pitiful look. Your eyes are still widened. Seojun grabs you by the wrist and pulls you out of the office, taking you to the rooftop to give you some time to calm down.

You're quiet for a few moments when you get there, still just taking in everything that had happened - both the fight and how quick you were to jump in, but also what the teacher had said to you. Seojun just watches you in silence, patiently waiting until you feel ready to talk.

"It's fine," you mumble suddenly, "I'm okay," you breathe out, trying to reassure him that he didn't need to worry about you, but he brings you into a hug anyways.
"Why did you get involved? You could've gotten hurt."

"I know you would never hurt me," you respond, breaking the hug and leaning away to look up at him. His eyes soften at your words, because of how much faith and trust you have in him.

"Why do you and Suho hate each other so much?" you ask after a few seconds of hesitation. He sighs before deciding to tell you about it, knowing he owes that much to you. After all, you did just witness your best friend getting into a fight because of it. You deserve to know why.

You hold his hand as you listen to his story patiently, and when he's finished you wrap your arms around his waist to pull him into a hug again.
"I'm so sorry you had to go through that," your voice wavers, and the realisation that you're crying because of his pain shocks him.

"It's okay," he says, returning the hug and tightening his arms around you, "don't worry about me." When you lean back to look at him, he wipes your tears gently. "Okay?" You nod, sending him a little smile in response.

When school is over, Jugyeong tells you that she's going back to the salon that her mother owns because she wants to get a face mask done, and asks if you want to join. You smile and agree, thinking it would be fun, and take the bus with her after letting your mother know.